(With downloadable SWZ article) In the late 1880s and early 1890s, there was a kind of battle between two types of current – AC and DC. At the time, AC won, but as technology developed, the DC system returned once again.
The main drivers behind the DC comeback were the technical development of power electronics, energy storage systems (ESSs), and new and renewable power sources. Moreover, its return is related to market demand for a clean and efficient power system. In maritime industry, the comeback of DC is also relative to the comeback of ships with electric propulsion (EP).
'It is now time to consider “the harmony of the two currents” not “the second war of currents”,' says author Kyunghwa Kim in his article "From Opposites to Compatible: Using AC and DC in Harmony" in SWZ|Maritime's October issue.
